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x^j^w Orleans 




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EW OELEANS, the metropolis of the South 
']VT and Mississippi Valley, is a city of 375/000 

J^ inhabitants, and was founded by Bienville, 

a French-Canadian, in 1718. It lies 110 miles 
from the mouths of the Mississippi Eiver, 
and comprises the entire Parish of Orleans, 
with an area of 196^4 square miles. It has a 
harbor ranging in depth from over 200 to 35 feet; thirty 
miles of wharves, a part of which are covered by mu- 
nicipally-owned, modern steel sheds, and a public belt 
railroad, which, free of charge, transfers commodities to 
and from railroads. It is the largest coffee, banana, sugar, 
cotton and rice market in the United States, and, by 
reason of its geographical location, enjoys unusual rail 
and ocean transportations facilities. Its population is 
principally American, with a large number of French- 
speaking inhabitants — the Creoles of Louisiana, who live, 
for the most part, in that section lying below Canal 
Street, known as the French, or Creole, quarter. 

There are over fifty thousand miles of railways with 
terminals at New Orleans, with other lines under con- 
struction, and one of the largest car-repair plants in the 
United States is located here. The grain elevators at 
New Orleans are among the largest at any seaport, and 
the second largest sugar refinery in the world, costing 
$4,000,000, has just been completed. Its street-railway 
system is one of the best in the United States, and 
practically universal transfers are given. Its hotels are 
modern and ample, and some $4,000,000 have recently been 
spent on two new ones, now opened. 



The proximity of New Orleans to numerous great 
natural products adds immensely to its pjestige as a port 
and manufacturing center. The largest sulphur and 
salt mines in the world are less than 200 miles distant in 
Louisiana, and in the same section are located the 
immense sugar and rice plantations and the great oil 
fields. Only a short distance further, in Louisiana, are 
the greatest long-leaf yellow-pine forests now remain- 
ing in America, while cotton is grown practically through- 
out the State. 

The recent discovery of natural gas in Northwest 
Louisiana, near Shreveport, credited by government ex- 
perts to be the largest proven field in America, gives 
additional potency for wealth and manufacturing develop- 
ment. This gas will be brought by pipe line to Nevr 
Orleans, a distance of 352 miles. Other gas fields, only 
a few miles distant, but as yet undevelop^a^ give promise 
of future great supplies. There are immense stores of 
lignite in Louisiana, while iron, coal, marble and build- 
ing stone are being developed and will ultimately be 
produced in commercial quantities. ^ 

Louisiana does not tax foreign capital for investment i| 
purposes, and, within the past few months, millions of 
dollars have been brojight into New Orleans and the 
State to develop its resources and manufacturing. v 

The Panama Canal is 600 miles nearer New Orleans i 
than to any other large seaport, and an ever-growing trade > 
is being developed with Cuba, Mexico and Central r 
America. New Orleans is the headquarters of the ( 
new Twelfth United States Railway Mail Division, and i 
the home of other important Governmental Depart- i 
ments. One of the two greatest steel floating dry J 
docks n the world is located here, and the United States t" 
Naval Station and Eepair Shops at New Orleans are the 
most modern of any in the United States. 

The assistant purchasing agency of the Isthmian Canal i( 
Commission is located here. 

From a health standpoint New Orleans compares favor- 
ably with any large city of the United States, the resi- ti 
dent white death-rate averaging less than fifteen per > 
thousand. Three great municipal improvements are, in a 
measure, responsible for this excellent showing — drainage, i 



sewerage and pure water. The first has been in operation 
some seven years, and dry excavations to the depth of 
fifteen to twenty feet are now possible ; whereas, until the 
installation o-f the drainage system, such was out of the 
question. The sewage is conveyed into the river far 
below t"he city, while the water for domestic consump- 
tion is taken from the Mississippi at the upper end of 
the city, passed over filtration beds, chemically treated 
and distributed to the mains. This water is soft and 
said to be of unusual purity. In addition to the health 
feature, the inauguration of this new water system will 
result in a diminishing insurance rate, due to the high 
pressure available for fire protection. 

These public utilities are owned and operated by the 
City of New Orleans, and, in adidtion, the city owns and 
operates its own street-repair plant. 

All railroad and steamship lines give a free stopover 
of ten days at New Orleans on all classes of tickets, 
while the Progressive Union pays the fares of merchants 
from Louisiana and numerous surrounding States, to and 
from New Orleans, who make their purchases here, mak- 
ing New Orleans a great jobbing market. 

Socially New Orleans is delightful; and, Dy reason oi 
this, and her historic interest, cosmopolitanism, foreign 
characteristics, her famous cuisine, her Mardi Gras and 
manifold amusements. New Orleans is Tcnown as the 
** Winter Capital (of America." Motor-boating and 
yachting on Lake Pontchartrain may be enjoyed all- 
year-around, due to the open winters; and, in summer- 
time. New Orleans is cooler than New York, Chicago and 
many of the large cities far to the North. This is due 
to being surrounded by rives and large lakes, and the 
near proximity of the Gulf of Mexico to the south- 
ward, the prevailing breezes in summertime being from 
the south. "Within less than two hours by rail New 
Orleans can fenjoy salt-water bathing in Mississippi 
Sound, this beautiful stretch of coast, from a few miles 
east of New Orleans to Mobile, Alabama, being known 
as the ' ' Riviera of America, ' ' and- is filled with Northern 
sojourners in the winter time, and New Orleans residents 
in the summer. 



From the standpoint of the epicure, New Orleans is 
the one bright spot on American soil. Her cooks, 
bred in or deseenaed of the best of the kind in France 
and Spain, and taking on the added art of the Creole, 
produce viands which liave created for this city a 
reputation at home and abroad. It might here be 
added^that New Orleans is the largest oyster market in 
the world, and one of the largest fish markets in the 
United States, while the huntsman and fisherman art. 
offered the rarest sport in the bayous and marshes of the 
country immediately adjacent and within forty, minutes ' 
ride. 

There are several large public libraries, five large 
metropolitan American daily papers, and one French 
daily, 112 public schools and kindergartens, many pri- 
vate schools and six universities. The chief of the latter 
are the Tulane University, for boys, and Newcomb Col- 
lege, for girls, both under the same administration. 
Tulane is specially noted for its medical depai:tmeE>, 
while its academic, law, engineering and technfcal 
divisions are developing rapidly. 

From any point of view New Orleans is a city of 
destiny, and with deep water from the Great Lakes to 
tlae Gulf of Mexico, and the opening -of the Panama 
Canal, will become a port of tremendous power in the 
commerce oi the world. 



Inquiries solicited by 

NEW ORLEANS PROGRESSIVE UNION, 

528 Camp Street. 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 




014 495 457 9 



